This invention relates to a vacuum insulated can holder for holding conventional beverage cans to provide a measure of insulation from the ambient to prevent the contents of the can from undesirably warming or cooling at an undesirably rapid rate.
Insulated beverage container holders have long been known. Conventionally, they are formed of a body of relatively soft, resilient, foam-like material that is formed with a cylindrical wall and a bottom and an upper opening. A can or bottle to be insulated from the ambient is introduced into the interior of the holder through the opening and frequently is firmly grasped therein because the resilience of the foam material and because the dimensions of the holder cause the same to frictionally grip the exterior of the can or bottle.
Unfortunately, typical constructions of the sort identified above as well as other types of known insulating can holders are bulky due to the wall thickness required to achieve insulating qualities. Consequently, they cannot fit easily into conventional vehicular mounted beverage holders or, if fitted thereinto, are partially compressed in the process, making it difficult to extract the can holder with the can therein from a vehicular drink holder.
Moreover, prior art beverage can holders have conventionally been single use type holders. That is to say, the holders are capable of being used for a single purpose, namely, holding a can or bottle and no other purpose or purposes.
When attempts have been made to form can holders of non-foam material, the problem of fitting such a holder to a conventional drink holder in a vehicle has remained. Moreover, often times the can to be contained in the beverage can holder fits loosely therein, allowing the can to move within the holder itself. In such a case, the possibility for spillage of the beverage is increased.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.
It is the principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved can holder for a conventional beverage can. More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an insulated can holder and even more specifically, a vacuum insulated can holder.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention achieves the foregoing object in a can holder that includes a cup-shaped, metallic outer liner having an upper opening, an opposite bottom and a generally cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from the bottom to the opening. Also included is a cup-shaped, metallic inner liner nested within the outer liner and again having an upper opening, an opposite bottom and a generally cylindrical side wall extending upwardly from the bottom to the opening.
The side wall of the inner liner is located radially inwardly of the side wall of the outer liner to define a space therebetween. Additionally, the bottom of the inner liner is located above the bottom of the outer liner to define a space therebetween. The cylindrical side walls of the inner and outer liners merge at the openings and are sealed thereat. A vacuum is pulled in the spaces and is maintained therein by the sealing between the inner and outer liners at the openings. At least the lowermost section of the outer liner has an outer diameter just less than an inner diameter of a conventional vehicular beverage holder while the inner diameter of the inner liner side wall is just greater than the outer diameter of a conventional metal beverage can.
As a consequence of the foregoing, a rigid can holder that is vacuum insulated is provided and which is sized to snugly receive a conventional beverage can while easily fitting in a conventional vehicular drink holder.
In a preferred embodiment, the lowermost outer diameter of the outer liner is just less than 2.890 inches.
A preferred embodiment also contemplates that the inner liner inner diameter be just greater than 2.600 inches.
A preferred embodiment also contemplates that the height of the inner liner cylindrical side wall be less than 4.840 inches.
In one embodiment, the inner liner cylindrical side wall includes at least one radially inwardly extending projection, the projection(s) having a height sufficient to engage a side of a conventional metal beverage can received in the inner liner.
In a highly preferred embodiment, the height of the projection(s) is sufficient to frictionally or resiliently grip a side of a conventional metal beverage can received in the inner liner.
In a highly preferred embodiment, there are a plurality of the projections.
A preferred embodiment also includes a grip ring on an uppermost part of the outer liner adjacent the outer liner opening.
In one embodiment, there is provided a cap that is removably attached to an uppermost end of at least one of the inner and outer liner cylindrical side walls. The cap includes an access opening alignable with the opening in a conventional metal beverage can.
In a highly preferred embodiment, the cap is provided with a crowned center having the alignable access opening and a depending skirt removably secured to one of the inner and outer liner cylindrical side walls.
In an even more preferred embodiment, the skirt includes a snap fit formation for securing the cap to the one of the inner and outer liner cylindrical side walls.
Even more preferably, the crowned center of the cap includes at least one spring finger directed toward the inner liner bottom so as to be engageable with the top of a can nested within the inner liner to hold the same firmly in place.
One embodiment of the invention contemplates that the outer liner cylindrical side wall include a step formed so that the lowermost section thereof has the outer diameter just less than the inner diameter of a conventional vehicular beverage holder.
Still another highly preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of a sipping lid received within the inner liner opening. The sipping lid has diametrically opposite openings. One of the openings defines a sipping opening and the other defines a vent opening.
In a preferred embodiment, the sipping lid has a sloping center with the sipping opening being located at a lowermost part of the sloping center and the vent opening being located at an uppermost part of the sloping center. An upstanding peripheral wall surrounds the sloping center.
Preferably, the sipping lid is formed of an elastomeric material and the upstanding side wall is sized and shaped to be removably, sealingly wedged into the inner liner opening.
The invention also includes the highly preferred form of a sipping lid to be received within the inner lining opening. In a preferred embodiment of the sipping lid, the same has a series of angularly spaced holes.
In a highly preferred embodiment of the sipping lid, the same includes an upstanding peripheral wall surrounding a center and a series of holes extends about the lid inwardly of the upstanding wall and outwardly of the center.
Preferably, the center is brazed and is connected to the upstanding wall by a depressed, peripheral trough with the openings located about the trough.
In a highly preferred embodiment, the sipping lid is formed of an elastomeric material and the upstanding wall is sized and shaped to be removably, sealingly wedged into the inner liner opening. Even more preferably, the upstanding wall extends an exterior, radially outward extending, peripheral sealing ridge which is wedged into the inner liner opening.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.